>> very low impact. this is the trx suspension trainer. this has gained a lot of possibility in gyms with pro athletes, drew brees. and it's also good at home. you see no impact. total-body workout. this weighs less than two pounds. you can take it anywhere. he is doing some advanced exercises. they're simple ones. you can work with push-ups things like that. >> he has a killer tattoo on his back right there. >> you buy the trx, you get a tattoo. >> your daughter does this? >> everybody. a 6-year-old son, and a 79-year-old mother-in-law. this is for anybody. physical therapy, rehabilitative. all walks of life. it's two pounds and fits in your bag. >> i know. i want that low-impact. so key. we're getting older, some of us. and it's hard. thank you, mark. thank you very much. kettle bells. these are all of the rage right now. >> and the kettle bell for people who aren't familiar with

them, it's a very basic tool. it's a weight with a handle. you can actually get fat-burning exercises in addition to the building your body. you can do some simple ones, like swings like this. you can come up like this. and come down. very basic. but they also now are coming out with models like these, which are plastic. take them to the beach. fill them with water. fill them with sand. but designed to give you fat-burning content, as well as helping you build muscle. >> you can travel with them like that. this was all of the rage at the staff meeting yesterday. the elliptigo. >> we have mike showing. this is a hybrid of an indoor elliptical trainer, that runners like to use. but they hate being indoors. so, this company developed a hybrid. it's a bicycle with elliptical pedals. you ride very upright. there's no seat. but no impact. all of the parts are very familiar to being like on a bike. >> okay. let's see. >> about 3,000 bucks. but that price will probably go

down. >> see? see how it does the burn. but it's easy to handle mike? >> yes. just very easy. >> i'm impressed. >> a good workout for your whole body. especially the legs. >> very easy to get started. you think it will be harder. it's a matter of pushing off. we averaged about 15 miles per hour in the park didn't we? >> it's a very good workout. >> that's an investment. >> i think it's technology of the future. we'll see prices come down with this. >> thanks for the workout you got in this morning for us. mike, mark thank you very much. i didn't break a sweat. to get the details -- you're in my shot, man. to get the details, plus wendy's reviews for five more products, all at our website, abcnews.com/gma. next, time is ticking down to turn in college applications. the secrets and strategies of getting into the school of your >> ...berber carpet. it was a whole bowl of stew. nooo.

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the first day of senior year is a signal for many students and their parents to start freaking out about the college application process. but a little planning and some smart strategy can take the stress out of boiling your life down to a few pieces of paper. this morning, we have the secrets and the strategies your senior needs to ace the application and get into the college of their choice. it comes from a woman who made the decisions in the eve i have league.

barbie norman, she was an admissions representative at columbia university. she joins us now. and it's hard to overstate how important the application process is. let's go through the steps, starting with the timetable. >> there's different application plans, depending on the schools you apply to. there's early decision which is a binding option. this is the place you love more than anything else. >> all your chips on the table. >> all your chips on the table. you give up every other option presented to you, to get into this school. if they take you, you have to go. so, that's a big commitment. there's also early action which is similar but no binding commitment. you apply early. you get a response early. but you don't have to tell the college until may 1st, that you're coming. >> but both of these applications have to be in by november 1st to november 15th. >> exactly. the dates can vary from

school-to-school. you tend to hear mid-december for early decision. and anywhere from mid-december to early january, for early action. >> is it a fair rule of thumb, the earlier you apply, the better chance you have? >> it depends on the school. the early application plans can be advantageous. if it's the school that you love, and you're a viable candidate, it's a good idea. >> let's get to the application. the personal essay has to be the most difficult part. basically, tell your whole story in a page or two. and i love the way you boiled down the advice. you say, write about yourself, not about your mother. >> yes. and with all due respect to the moms out there. when i was an admissions officer, i read a lot of application essays from moms. and they were indistinguishable. and i wanted to know about the student at the end. that's the point. i have found the best essays come from the most unlikely places. one of the best essays i ever

read was about a girl that was in maine, at a lake skipping stones. it was a place she returned to year after year in her childhood. another great essay i read was from a girl in florida. a latin girl that loved country music. and she made it very clear that this was not the norm in her circle. it was fun. it had sass in all of the right ways. students sometimes overthink. how can i be unique? or how can i make a voice for myself? if you really stick to the basics, the things that you love, the things that make you tick, you'll find that those are the best essays. >> how do you balance out, selling your strengths and explaining your weaknesses? >> weaknesses are an important point, actually. there's an additional information section on most applications. this is your opportunity if you have a glaring weakness. if ninth grade was a slow start. if you weren't able to take a higher-level class because you had to take a regular-level class for graduation requirement. the additional information

section is the time to explain it. even though it might be a weakness it could be a really low grade. if you had a reason for it. if you had mono. if you had a year at home if you don't explain it admissions officers assume the worst. >> you also say be careful about piling on all of the extracurricular activities. >> less can sometimes be more. you don't want to dilute the good stuff. don't get involved in fluff activities where you're a member in name only. you want to do the things you love and stick with that. >> good advice. bari norman thank you very much. if you have questions, send them in to abcnews.com/grnl. and we've put on sample application and tips. when we come back, diane niad is making her host daring swim y

ord for longest ocean swim ever. but she recently decided to take on a staggering challenge. at the age of 61 she is poised to swim from cuba to florida. becoming the first person to do so without a shark cage. and diana joins us now on the phone. she is in key west before she makes the trek to cuba. oh, so good to talk with you for a little bit, my friend. so, tell us why, 32 years later, you want to do this again. >> well, robin, you're not there yet. you're way behind me. how old are you, my old friend by the way? >> the big 5-0, is coming up. i'm right on your heels. >> i can't have respect for anyone that young. if you had asked me two years ago, diana, could you go to your grave without doing the swim from cuba to florida that you didn't do all those years ago? i would say, yep. i'm going to by grave just fine. but something about turning 60 just annoyed the heck out of me.

i felt young. i felt vibrant. i have lots of friends my age. look at the baby-boomer venn generation. we were the rock 'n' rollers. we don't want to feel old at 60. we're not old at 60. robin, if i walk -- i might be crawling on that beach in florida when i get across. i think -- my fellow baby-boomers will look at me and say, that's the new 60. that's the new 61. i got plenty of chi left in this life of mine. my best days are not behind me. they're not going to swim from cuba to florida. but they're going to chase their own dreams. >> i want everyone in our audience 60 or older to come around me as i talk to diana. show them what the new 60 is all about. come on, now. some of you are lying. diana, george wanted me to ask you this. you're not going to be in a shark cage. what's up with that? >> i'm not going to be in a

shark cage. i understand it. anybody who swims in one, i get it. the sharks are large and dangerous in these waters. but still, you know what robin? every wave that comes out is dissipated by that cage. it's like swimming in a protected swimming pool. i couldn't do it. i don't want an asterisk next to my name when i finish this swim. i want it out in the open elements, which is a nature of the sport. i have a question for george. am i allowed? >> sure. >> george, i cannot get my visas to cuba. can you get ahead for me? >> they won't give you a visa huh? >> they won't give me a visa. they're the most sporting people in the world. a adore them. >> if you say you're going to write about it, you become a journalist and get a journalist visa. >> we're trying all kinds of things. believe me, as you head into your labor day weekend, i'm sure you have things to do.

but any call you make on me behalf -- >> i think you just made it. >> there you go. >> diana, you're always smart. don't ask me. go to george stephanopoulos. you're smart about that. and the remaining time we have left, diana. you're waiting for the visa. you're in key west right now. what about all of the hurricanes and that? the weather conditions? that's part of the reason why you weren't able to complete this before. >> yeah. i wanted to be in cuba this year, in the end of july. so, here we are in september. yeah, the hurricanes are tracking across the atlantic. oddly enough, you know that expression, the calm before the storm. >> right. >> we're waiting for that calm down here. in set, you can get very flat

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o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o we have breaking news from the gulf of mexico where an offshore oil rig exhe employeded wested of the b.p. spill site. all people on board are

accounted for. one is injured. the coast guard is trying to determine if there is a leak. the state public utilities commission is scheduled to release a long-awaited investigation into pg&e's controversial smart meters. many consumers complain their utility bills shot way up after smart meters were installed. the puc retained a firm to independently test the meters and it's been looking into the device for the past five months. pg&e shows its own tests show the meters are working he well. the forecast. >> eric we've got fog offshore and this will affect our temperatures today at the coast and our inland valleys with the shallow marine layer. right now it's very mild out there but temperatures near 70 in oakland and san francisco but today the heat will be inland once again, 97 concord 94 san jose and the fog affecting monterey today everyone cools off tomorrow. >> expect delays at the bay bridge toll plaza. metering lights on and traffic backed up all the way to the maze about a half hour wait time

to head into